A small circuit board or part of a larger circuit board, can be installed in a connector housing by simply laying the board on a housing surface. The board can be locked in place by drilling holes in the board and housing and inserting fasteners through the holes, or by forming the housing with upstanding posts that fit into drilled holes in the board, followed by deformation of the tops of the posts. The plastic housing may have to be molded in two pieces to captivate the board, or require a complex mold. It is possible to provide a slot into which the front end of the board slides in order to engage contacts, but the board still has to be locked in position.
The connector housing is commonly manufactured in large quantities by a connector manufacturer, while the circuit board is commonly made in smaller quantities by another company that designs its own circuit board and mounts it in the connector. A connector housing and circuit board combination that enabled easy installation and locking of the board in the housing, using a one-piece housing and not requiring any more effort to install than by simply sliding the board into place, would be of value.